In certain surgical procedures, a K-wire (Kirschner wire) or guide wire is used in combination with a surgical tool such as a jamshidi needle. The jamshidi needle is used to form a hole through bone as a first step in certain medical procedures like attaching a screw to a pedicle. The K-wire or guide wire is inserted through the needle into the interior of the bone, which, if not done properly, can injure the patient, particularly if it engages certain sensitive parts which may include breaching the anterior cortex of a vertebral body. The K-wire or guide wire is used as a portal for certain surgical steps like guiding a tap, screw or screwdriver to the surgical site. The procedures oftentimes require the use of force which can cause a properly positioned K-wire or guide wire to move forward into the surgical site, which, if excessive, can move into contact where contact is to be avoided.
A K-wire or guide wire is generally cylindrical and has a diameter of about 3 millimeters, making it easy to move during use. In fact, the K-wire or guide wire is designed to move during its installation; however, once installed its movement is not impeded, requiring care in its use. The cross sectional size of the K-wire though is limited by the tools and devices it is used with. Each tool or device is provided with a through bore for receiving the K-wire or guide wire, limiting the size and type of wire that can be used. Additionally, the K-wire is typically removed by passing through a through bore in a device or tool. Thus, to date, only K-wires with a small diameter, generally cylindrical round cross section, have been used which presents the problem in their use. It should also be noted that while the K-wires or guide wires illustrated herein include a solid center core, the K-wire or guide wire may be a hollow tubular member without departing from the scope of the invention.
The present invention provides a solution to this problem by providing an improved K-wire or guide wire which, when inserted, provides increased resistance to forward axial movement while still being usable with traditional surgical tools and devices.